Ridge of Messines

The Ridge of Messines is a low, elongated hill in Belgium that became a strategic battlefield during World War I. It was significant because controlling it allowed armies to oversee key roads and trenches in the region. In 1917, the Allies detonated a massive amount of explosives beneath the ridge in the Battle of Messines, creating a huge explosion that destroyed German defenses and contributed to an important Allied victory. Today, it is remembered as a symbol of military ingenuity and sacrifice during the war.